Well, that was fast. Today marked the first day of classes for IUSD students attending the district’s four year-round schools. Those would be Plaza Vista School, Vista Verde School, Westpark Elementary and Woodbury Elementary.

Vehicle shade structures outfitted with energy-producing solar panels will be added to the parking lots of nine campuses, saving the district an additional $305,000 a year, following a vote this month by the IUSD Board of Education.

In the fall of 1971, Richard Nixon was in his first term as president, Disney was getting ready to open a new theme park in Florida, Led Zeppelin was putting the finishing touches on its fourth album, and Karen Reaves was a rookie teacher at the old El Toro Marine School.

Capping a year’s worth of meticulous planning with input from hundreds of local stakeholders, IUSD has completed a long-term “facilities roadmap” that will help guide construction and modernization decisions over the next 10 to 20 years.

Each year around this time, the Irvine Public Schools Foundation co-hosts a luncheon to recognize some of the most dedicated parent volunteers in IUSD. While the event usually culminates with one overall winner, a pair of volunteers has earned the top award for 2012.

The IUSD Board of Education on Tuesday approved an expanded communications plan to solicit feedback on a proposal to harness solar power at up to 12 additional Irvine campuses.

Calling for a greater effort to notify neighboring communities, the IUSD Board of Education continued a proposal to add canopies topped with solar panels to the parking lots of 11 Irvine schools.

It's been more than a year since IUSD held an activation ceremony to mark the installation of solar panels at 13 schools and a pair of support facilities, and the data that's been gathered over the last 12 months is